Indian Railways has recruited 43,781 candidates against 47,084 notified vacancies during FY 2025-26, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while reviewing the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) recruitment process on Saturday.During a high-level meeting with senior railway officials, the minister stressed the need for a recruitment system that is more transparent, accurate, and technology-driven. He said the recruitment process should continue to evolve through the use of technology, faster procedures, and greater accountability.
More than 43,000 candidates recruited
According to railway officials, recruitment has been completed across six major categories. The largest recruitment was carried out for Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP) posts, where 17,193 candidates have been empanelled against 18,799 vacancies.Similarly, 13,416 candidates were recruited for Technician posts against 14,298 vacancies. Recruitment was also completed for 450 Sub-Inspectors, 4,205 Constables, 7,333 Junior Engineers and 1,184 candidates in various paramedical categories. The Railways said these recruitments reflect its efforts to fill vacancies quickly and strengthen its workforce.
Several recruitment exams underway
The ministry also reviewed the status of ongoing recruitment drives, including NTPC Graduate Level, NTPC Undergraduate Level, Ministerial and Isolated Categories, Technicians and Paramedical categories.Document verification has already started for several categories, while results for some typing and teaching posts are expected shortly.The Railway Recruitment Boards are currently processing recruitment for thousands of vacancies, with final selections in several categories expected over the next six months to one year.
Over 32,000 level-1 vacancies in pipeline
Among the ongoing recruitment drives, Level-1 recruitment under CEN 08/2024 remains the biggest, with 32,438 vacancies.The Railways is also recruiting for 10,970 Assistant Loco Pilot posts, 5,810 NTPC Graduate Level posts, 3,058 NTPC Undergraduate Level posts, 2,585 Junior Engineer posts and 368 Section Controller posts. The NTPC Undergraduate examination alone is expected to be taken by around 25 lakh candidates.
Recruitment calendar helping aspirants
Vaishnaw said the annual recruitment calendar and quarterly vacancy notifications introduced by the Railways have received a positive response from candidates.According to the minister, the system gives aspirants greater clarity about upcoming vacancies and helps them prepare for examinations in a planned manner.
Push for computer-based and tablet-based exams
The Railway Minister also reviewed the progress of shifting departmental examinations to Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. He directed officials to introduce more tablet-based examinations wherever possible to make the recruitment process faster and more efficient.He also highlighted the importance of conducting examinations in multiple languages to ensure that candidates from different parts of the country can participate without facing language barriers.
Railways told to counter misinformation
During the meeting, Vaishnaw instructed Railway Recruitment Boards to strengthen communication with candidates and provide timely updates regarding examinations and results.He said misinformation related to recruitment should be countered quickly with accurate information so that candidates remain informed and confident about the process.The Railways reiterated its commitment to a fair, transparent and merit-based recruitment system supported by technology and regular reforms aimed at improving the experience of job aspirants.
